SINGAPORE - Life Corp, the company which will operate the proposed Chinese temple at Fernvale Lea, has affirmed its commitment to run the temple to serve the community, said Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Housing Development Board (HDB) in a joint statement today.
The authorities will also ensure that Life Corp adheres to the planning guidelines set for the land, which has been zoned as a "place of worship" in URA's master plan since 2003.
Would-be residents of the residental estate have recently expressed their unhappiness after learning that a columbarium facility would be built in the temple. Some upset residents have started an online petition to stop the development of the columbarium, while others have demanded refunds for their Built-To-Order (BTO) units.
To illustrate that "places of worship can be successfully integrated into the design of residential estates," the authorities cited examples of some current places of worship with columbarium facilities, which include Fo Guang Shan Chinese Temple along Punggol Walk, Seu Teck Sean Tong Temple at Toa Payoh Lorong 6, and the Church of the St. Mary of the Angels at Bukit Batok East Ave 6.
In addition, URA and HDB reiterated URA's guidelines for places of worship, which state that up to 20 per cent of the total gross floor area may be allocated for columbarium use. A columbarium should also be located within the main building and shielded from public view.
